Hi all,
I've just bitten the bullet and ordered a new guide camera from Starlight Express, the camera is a follow on from the well respected Lodestar but with a higher pixel count. I'm getting it through AEC in SA, it's not in the country as yet as they have four on order and including mine three are already sold.
Not much in the way of reviews around that I could find as yet but I had also planed to use it for a bit of planetry imaging as well.
I'm taking a chance here and buying on the reputation of the Lodestar.
I did come accross some discussion re the value of smaller pixels in a guider, I will be using in an Orion ST80 for guiding so I was just after some others thoughts on pixel size in a guide camera.
Specs below for your review.
NEW Superstar
Specifications:- CCD type: ICX205AL Sony SuperHAD interline CCD with low dark current and vertical anti-blooming.
- CCD Full resolution Pixel data: Pixel size: 4.65uM x 4.65uM, Image format: 1392 x 1040 pixels
- CCD Image area: 6.4mm (Horizontal) x 4.75mm (Vertical).
- CCD quality: Grade 1
- Spectral Response: QE max at 520nM (~50%), 30% at 420nM and 670nM.
- Readout Noise: Less than 10 electrons RMS - typically only 7 electrons.
- Full-well capacity: Greater than 20,000 e- (unbinned)
- Anti-blooming: Overload margin greater than 1000x.
- Dark current: Dark frame saturation time greater than 1 hour. Less than 0.1 electrons/second @ + 10C ambient.
- Data format: 16 bits.
- System gain: 0.3 electrons per ADU
- Computer Interface: Built-in USB 2.0 compatible interface.
- Image download time: Typically 0.6 seconds at full resolution using USB 2.0.
- Power requirements: USB powered.
- Cooling system: Ambient air cooling.
- Size: 32 x 72mm black anodised aluminium barrel with 25 x 0.75mm 'C mount' thread at the CCD window end & input/output plugs at rear.
- Weight: approx. 50g.
Lodestar
Specifications:- CCD type: ICX429AL Sony Exview interline CCD with low dark current and vertical anti-blooming.
- CCD Full resolution Pixel data: Pixel size: 8.2uM x 8.4uM, Image format: 752 x 580 pixels
- CCD Image area: 6.4mm (Horizontal) x 4.75mm (Vertical).
- CCD quality: Grade 1
- Spectral Response: QE max at 620nM (~65%), 35% at 400nM and 770nM.
- Readout Noise: Less than 15 electrons RMS - typically only 10 electrons.
- Full-well capacity: Greater than 50,000 e- (unbinned)
- Anti-blooming: Overload margin greater than 1000x.
- Dark current: Dark frame saturation time greater than 1 hour. Less than 0.1 electrons/second @ + 10C ambient.
- Data format: 16 bits.
- System gain: 0.9 electrons per ADU
- Computer Interface: Built-in USB 2.0 compatible interface.
- Image download time: Typically 0.2 seconds at full resolution using USB 2.0.
- Power requirements: USB powered.
- Cooling system: Ambient air cooling.
- Size: 32 x 72mm black anodised aluminium barrel with 25 x 0.75mm 'C mount' thread at the CCD window end & input/output plugs at rear.
- Weight: approx. 50g.